


Immortal Choices

by SpaceAsthmatic



Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms
Genre: Angst, Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Goodbye, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Mortality, Saling to valinor, Sort Of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-25
Updated: 2018-07-04
Packaged: 2019-05-28 07:55:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15044246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpaceAsthmatic/pseuds/SpaceAsthmatic
Summary: Elrond, Elladan, and Elrohir say goodbye at the Grey Havens, not knowing if they will follow in their sister footsteps to a mortal life and ever see each other again





	1. Chapter 1

Both Elladan and Elrohir had known that there was something their father wanted to tell them, some last piece of advice to help them get through their years in Middle Earth without him. That was the thing with their father though, he often had things he desired to tell people. That did not mean, however, that he actually told them. Especially where his visions were concerned.

Over the years they had learned that asking and probing would reveal nothing, you just had to wait to find out what he decided.

They had decided months ago that he would not, in fact, it had slipped their minds entirely. Even as they road with their father, grandparents, and Glorfindel to the Grey Havens where a ship awaited for those leaving. Not even when the harbor came into view for the first time as they crested the last hill.

They had all stopped their horses for a moment and Elladan thought about saying something, but everything had been said many times over already, and there was a good chance that he or Elrohir might lose their thin grasp on composure if he did. That was the thing about their father though, he sensed those kinds of things. And so they said nothing.

They did not speak about Arwen, pregnant and mortal in Gondor. They did not speak about Estel and his upcoming birthday. They did not tell each other how much they would miss them, or about how scared and his brother was. They did not thank Glorfindel, for staying behind with them until they left Middle Earth forever. Either by sailing or otherwise.

Sooner or later they had to begin their journey again, and too soon the reached the Havens. It was then that their father decided to tell them, standing on the shores near the boat. Their grandparents and Glorfindel had drifted away to give them privacy as if they knew it would happen all along.

Elrond carefully took a hand from each of them, eyes serious and almost painfully sad, "I know you have not made your choice yet, and I do not intend for you to make it now. If you are able, make the same choice."

Contrary to popular belief the twins did not speak as one on purpose, but that was the thing with their father though, he knew that. Because he used to have a twin before he choose a mortal life ages gone past. They had heard stories of their Uncle Elros, but not often.

But they understood why, for neither twin could imagine a life without the other, the concept so foreign it was hard to form. They did not want to think about their father experiencing that pain any more than he wanted to remember it.

Elladan and Elrohir spoke as one, "Ada-"

"No, no these thoughts are still for you to face later. You are not ready to choose yet, you will know when you are ready."

He was right, of course. It was hard to explain, but it was as if part of them wanted to be mortal. Expected it almost. Even while other parts wanted nothing more than to live forever. A 'Gift' from Eru, some called it.

Losing Arwen did not feel like a gift.

Slowly Galadriel drifted back over to them, smiling reassuringly at her grandsons, "It is time for us to go, Elrond."

Frodo, Bilbo, and Gandalf were already on the boat waiting.

For a moment their grip on composure slipped, and both twins flung themselves into their father's arms, one on each side just like when they were elflings. For a moment, Elrond lost his composure too. All three of them tried not to think about how he was sailing away from four children, perhaps all of which he would never see again.

The twins spoke as one, "Tell Nana I love her."

Somehow, impossibly, their father managed a watery laugh, "That will be the second thing I tell her, right after telling her how much _I_ love her."

Elrohir stifled a small sob, and Elladan nearly began as well hearing the sound. Elrond hugged them tighter and kissed both on the head, whispering, "Ask me to stay and I will."

And they knew he would if they asked. Elrond was tired beyond belief, his heart so filled with grief his son's were surprised it still beat, he was weary in every way one could be. But if they asked him to stay, he would.

Elladan spoke alone this time, as Elrohir was incapable, "Tell Nana we love her."

Eventually, somehow, they managed to pull themselves apart. Only to be quickly swept into the comforting embrace of their grandmother, as she promised: "You will make the right choices."

But then she was pulling away too, leaving.

Neither twin believed they would be able to say goodbye to their grandfather, too. But then Celeborn was saying goodbye to Galadriel instead of them, promising to see her again soon, when he met her in Valinor.

"What?" Elladan asked, knowing Elrohir was waiting for him too.

Celeborn smiled, coming to stand between his grandsons as they watched Elrond and Glorfindel say their goodbyes, "I have not yet grown tired of Imladris, I think I would like to spend a few years there yet still. I am in no hurry."

He threw an arm around each of them, and they leaned into him gratefully, as their father and grandmother boarded the boat. At least somebody else would be here with them when Estel died, and then Arwen.

What were another hundred years with them, compared to an eternity of the heartbreak of missing them? They had not meant to love Estel as much as they did, but he had stolen their hearts totally and completely. And it seemed like he was going to take them to the grave with him. Elrohir stifled another sob just thinking about it.

The boat slowly began to sail from the dock, away. Impossibly far away.

Elrond stood on the back of the boat, watching his beloved sons get smaller and smaller. Glorfindel nearly crushing Elrohir in a tight embrace, rocking him back and forth very slightly, while Elladan still stood with Celeborn's arm around him.

Elladan knew at that moment it was time to make his choice, and he knew with only half a glance at Elrohir that they had made the same one.

Elrohir ripped himself away from Glorfindel, and Elladan from Celeborn as they both raced to the end of the dock. For a moment the older elves were left stunned, wondering perhaps if they planned to jump in the water and swim to the boat. But the twins stopped at the very edge of the dock, screaming across the water as loudly as they could, "Tell Nana we will soon be there to tell her we love her ourselves!"

The boat was getting to be so far away, they turned back to Glorfindel desperately, "Do you think he heard?"

Stepping up behind them, Glorfindel stared out across the water, "Yes. I think he heard you."

The boat was too far away from them to see their father nearly collapse on the ship deck in relief, unashamedly weeping into arms folded over his knees. He had heard, he had heard every single word.

Galadriel came and sat next to him, leaning her body against his and taking hold of one of his hands. They stayed like this for a while before Elrond gave a final sniff and turned his head to look at her, she smiled encouragingly, "I knew they would make the right choice."

Somehow, he managed another watery laugh.


	2. Chapter 2

Glorfindel found the twins exactly where he thought he would, huddled and alone in Arwen's old room which had long since been emptied. Elladan sat on the floor with his back against the cold stone, while Elrohir laid with his head in his brothers lap obviously devastated and clutching one of Estel's old stuffed toys. They had made it for him on his third birthday.

They had received a letter from Gimli that he and Legolas had reached Eryn Lasgalen from Gondor safely, with a promise upon the dwarfs life that he would get the prince across the ocean and to Valinor. One way or another.

With their last excuse for remaining in middle earth gone, they had planned to depart to the havens the next morning.

It was nearly three in the morning and they did not even sit with a candle.

It was a good thing Glorfindel had expected this, for he brought several candles and a thick blanket. He lit the candles and set them near the twins, lighting a fire in the hearth before finally unfolding the blanket and motioning both of them to move so he could lay it down. There was no need for their physical self to feel as cold as their hearts.

As they all settled on the blanket he sat between the twins, throwing an arm around Elladan while Elrohir resumed laying on the floor but this time in Glorfindel's lap.

He had loved all of Elrond's children, but he always had a soft spot for the twins. Arwen had been so much like her mother and so easily loved. The twins had been much softer, much more like their father. It took them much longer to lose their shyness with new people, for they were so accustomed to only the company of the other.

Their hearts were so soft, even if their faces seemed hard. They had adopted Arwen so readily into their lives, even though they were already nearing their majority. There was nothing in the world the twins had loved more than their baby sister. They would have done anything to see her smile.

Elladan's voice was so soft it was hard to hear, "We didn't mean to love him so much."

They knew well the sting of mortality, acutely aware of their fathers missing twin. They had known that tiny sweet Estel would leave them, they hadn't meant to love him the way they loved Arwen. But their hearts were so soft.

Elrohir hugged the stuffed toy closer, "It feels like we're abandoning them here."

"We promised we would protect them."

Glorfindel took a deep controlled breath, this is why he had stayed. He could mourn his own loss later after he got them to their parents. To make sure they got to Valinor by boat and not through the halls. "You did protect them. With everything you had you protected them, and they knew that. And they loved you for it. Never in my life have I seen such wonderful brothers."

Elrohir had begun to cry again, and Glorfindel comfortingly rubbed his back, "But there is nothing left here, and so much waiting for you there. You loved them with every inch of your hearts, and that's why it hurts so much, but we all know what Arwen would want you to do."

There was a very soft knock on the door and all three looked to find Celeborn standing in the doorway, apparently also having gone searching for the twins.

Elladan reached an arm out to him, "Grandfather." In only seconds the elf lord had come to sit behind his grandson, holding him tightly in his arms, "We miss them so much."

"I know."

Glorfindel and Celeborn shared a look over Elladan's head, they needed to make sure the twins left tomorrow. Even if they had to drag them to the Havens.

"I want to see my nana."

…..

The twins had spent much of the boat ride huddled together in silence, Elrohir still holding Estel's toy. For the most part, Glorfindel and Celeborn had let them be, knowing they were grieving in their own connected way.

But as they started nearing the shores they roused them, and together they all stood at the front of the boat and watched the elves waiting for them get closer. Celebrian was easy to spot, for she had waded into the water past her hips, a spot of glimmering white in the blue water. Having sensed that her sons were finally coming to her.

It didn't take long for both of the twins to jump overboard and swim desperately for her. Elrohir leaving the toy in the boat, the pain in his heart momentarily forgotten.

They would have fallen to the ground when they reached her had they not been in danger of drowning, but they hugged her with the kind of fierceness of one who had been looking forward to his very thing for over a hundred years. Glorfindel could hear the twins telling Celebrian how much they loved her, and how much they missed her.

As they drew even nearer to the shore, Glorfindel jumped into the water as well and swam for the small cluster of his adopted family. After giving Celebrian a fierce hug of his own, he began to help her usher them towards the shore just as another body came plunging into the water from the shore.

"Ada!"

Still reluctant to leave their mother they kept one arm around her and reached the other out for him. Elrond didn't seem to mind and swiftly wrapped all three of them in a bone-crushing hug.

Elladan's voice was muffled, "We tried to tell you what our choice was. Did you hear us?"

Elrond voice was thick with tears and he managed to kiss both his sons on the head, "Yes, I heard you. I have never heard something so wonderful in my life."

He held his family for a few seconds more but then Elrond detached himself and this time crushed Glorfindel in a hug, "Thank you. With everything I have within me, I thank you."

Near them, the twins were still telling their mother how much they loved her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you again for reading. Would love to hear from you!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading, hope you enjoyed!  
> Would love to hear from you all


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